Projects - Water Quality
Project AW1205: The interaction between water quality and welfare in farmed rainbow trout
The initial part of the project consisted of a detailed literature review and a series of focus groups with stakeholders to identify current indicators of welfare and to raise awareness of the project. Simultaneously a series of farm visits produced an understanding of the capacity for monitoring and control of water quality over the entire industry.
Replicated cascades (sets of experimental tanks in series), provided robust data on the effect of deteriorating water quality, on specific welfare indicators independent of other influences on welfare. Information from this study will inform a large epidemiological study examining water quality and welfare indicators over the entire range of the industry and throughout the year.
Following multilevel modelling of all the data the project will conclude with a stakeholders' workshop to discuss the identified risks to welfare from water quality and agree key auditable welfare measures.
The project aims to define acceptable limits for water quality with regard to trout welfare and agree with stakeholders auditable welfare measures. Defra will also gain further benefit by having up-to-date, scientifically derived results relating to water quality and trout welfare and be in a strong position to advise and contribute towards any recommendations from the Council of Europe.
For further information on this project refer to pages 9-13 of Finfish News 1, 2006